This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 11-239978, filed Aug. 26, 1999; and No. 11-241190, filed Aug. 27, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a message providing apparatus for providing a message formed of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and/or sound, such as a message providing apparatus, a commodity display tool, an advertisement display panel, and an advertisement display tool, for advertising a commodity and service for sales promotion within or outside of a retail shop. The message of the present invention is not limited to the advertisement message but includes a general message such as an explanation, description, or counseling of an exhibition or commodity.
Conventionally, a poster, a sticker, a placard, a flag, a deformation display and the like, called a POP (Point Of Purchase) advertisement (to be referred to as xe2x80x9cPOP advertisementxe2x80x9d hereinafter) have been widely used to emphasize the characters and advantages of commodities in front of, within or outside of a retail shop. The detailed explanation of the character of a commodity (commodity announcement) is given by a clerk (or clerks) present at a special set-up corner.
In recent years, a television integral-type video cassette recorder called xe2x80x9ctele-videoxe2x80x9d is installed with which a video tape is repeatedly replayed to convey the impression of a commodity through television images. Alternatively, a television receiver or a plurality of television receivers are arranged to broadcast television images from a local broadcasting station instead of replaying a video tape. These apparatus for putting up a POP advertisement using television images are referred to as electronic POP apparatus.
The conventional electronic POP apparatus is, however, large in size and an installation space therefor is limited. In case of installing a plurality of television receivers, it is necessary to secure a large space, which is unfavorable for a retail shop wishing to display commodities as many as possible. Further, even if a placard and a flag are used along with the electronic POP apparatus so as to increase an advertisement effect, it takes time and labor to individually set up and install them due to their differences in advertisement form and the overall advertisement form tends to be complicated.
Quite recently, there are proposed, as described in Japanese Patent Publication (Japanese Patent No. 2921361), an advertisement display unit and a commodity display tool capable of producing a greater advertisement effect by integrating an advertisement medium of a placard and that of a television receiver with each other in a compact fashion and installing the resultant integral medium close to displayed articles such as commodities.
The first example of this advertisement display unit will be outlined as follows. An opening window is provided at a position opposing an image display panel on the front surface of a small-sized electronic image display apparatus for still images or television images, a display plate having an appropriate advertisement display is provided at an apparatus front side and an attachment which can be fixedly attached to a display case in which commodities or the like are displayed, is provided at an apparatus back surface side.
The second example of this advertisement display unit will be outlined as follows. A small-sized electronic image display unit for still images or television images is fixedly installed in a display case, a window section is provided at least on the front surface of the display case which surface opposes an image display panel on the front surface of the display unit, to which window section an appropriate advertisement display is provided, and an attachment which can be fixedly attached to a display section for displaying commodities or the like is provided at a display case back surface side.
Here, the small-sized electronic image display apparatus is provided with a reception antenna and performs an advertisement display operation based on an image signal or an image-and-sound signal by means of a radio transmission wave. Alternatively, the small-sized electronic image display apparatus performs an advertisement display operation based on an image signal or an image-and-sound signal from an image recording medium reproduction section by means of a wire transmission.
The apparatus which performs an advertisement display operation based on the an image signal or an image-and-sound signal by means of a radio transmission wave has, however, the following disadvantages. Namely, a transmitting station is required to constantly operate. It is difficult to display different contents according to the individual display apparatus. Power consumption is large. The image signal cannot be transmitted if a radio frequency noise occurs. In case of the latter apparatus which performs an advertisement display operation based on the image signal from the image recording medium reproduction section by means of a wire transmission, an image recording medium reproduction section involves a video cassette recorder, a laser disk player, a compact disk (CD) player, a floppy disk drive (FDD) unit and the like. Each of these recording medium reproduction sections has a drive unit such as a motor. Due to the provision of the drive unit, the recording medium reproduction section has disadvantages in that if the section is continuously used, the drive unit easily malfunctions and the medium is easily damaged, as well. Moreover, since the recording medium reproduction section is provided separately from an image display apparatus and they are connected through a wiring, there is a limit to an installation place.
As stated above, according to a promotion method employing the conventional electronic POP apparatus, it is difficult to discriminatingly advertise individual commodities in a showcase or on a display stand in or on which many similar competitive commodities are displayed.
Further, the conventional electronic POP apparatus can give a customer to an incentive to purchase the commodities by an interactive display of the information of the commodities in the form of a multimedia, such as a still image, moving image, character, graphic and/or sound. Though the electronic POP apparatus can provide more information than that obtained by touching or seeing the commodities, it has a problem not to order the commodities on that spot.
Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a message providing apparatus arranged close to or at an object article, for providing useful information on the article displayed on a display rack or a display stand and for explaining the article.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a message providing apparatus capable of interactively providing a message in accordance with a situation by adaptively combining a still image, moving image, character, graphic and/or sound instead of fixedly reproduce the recorded information, thereby appealing the customer of the message and responding to customers"" questions.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a message providing apparatus for automatically starting or stopping the reproduction of the recorded information, thereby decreasing the burden of the user.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a message providing apparatus, commodity display apparatus, advertisement display panel, or advertisement display tool which can be combined with a display rack, a display stand, a display case, or a POP advertisement such as a flag or a display unit and facilitates developing a general advertisement and enhancing customers"" interest in commodities and their attention to advertisement.
A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a message providing apparatus for reproducing a message stored in a storage medium detachable to the apparatus in which a reproduction of the message from a predetermined medium is only permitted and that from other medium is prohibited, thereby preventing illegal use of the message providing apparatus.
A sixth object of the present invention is to provide a message providing apparatus for reproducing a message stored in the apparatus in which a new message is delivered to a desired apparatus to update the message.
A seventh object of the present invention is to provide a message providing apparatus which can order the commodities on that spot while touching or seeing the commodities.
The first object is realized by a message providing apparatus in which a semiconductor memory storing message data containing at least one of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and sound is mounted, the message providing apparatus comprising sound output means for reproducing sound read from the semiconductor memory; and display means for displaying images, character or graphic read from the semiconductor memory.
The second object is realized by a message providing apparatus comprising means for storing plural message data containing at least one of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and sound; means for selecting one of the plural message data stored in the storing means; sound output means for reading a selected message data from the semiconductor memory and reproducing sound read included in the selected message; and display means for reading the selected message data from the semiconductor memory and displaying images, character or graphic included in the selected message.
The second object is also realized by a message providing apparatus in which a storing medium storing identification data thereof, message data containing at least one of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and sound and attribute data of the message data is mounted, the message providing apparatus comprising means for reading the identification data and the attribute data from the storing medium and selecting one of the plural message data stored in the storing medium based on the identification data and the attribute data; sound output means for reading a selected message data from the storing medium and reproducing sound read included in the selected message; and display means for reading the selected message data from the storing medium and displaying images, character or graphic included in the selected message.
The third object is realized by a message providing apparatus comprising means for storing message data containing at least one of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and sound; sound output means for reproducing sound read from the semiconductor memory; display means for displaying images, character or graphic read from the semi-conductor memory; and power control means for controlling power on/off of the apparatus.
The third object is also realized by a message providing apparatus comprising means for storing message data containing at least one of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and sound; sound output means for reproducing sound read from the. semiconductor memory; display means for displaying images, character or graphic read from the semiconductor memory; power control means for controlling power on/off of the apparatus; and control means for controlling an output volume of the sound output means or on/off of the display means.
The fourth object is realized by a commodity display tool comprising a cabinet portion having a commodity housed therein; and the message providing apparatus according to the present invention which is disposed integrally at the cabinet portion.
The fourth object is also realized by an advertisement display apparatus comprising an advertisement display section; and the message providing apparatus according to the present invention which is disposed integrally in the section.
The fifth object is realized by a message providing apparatus in which a storing medium storing identification data thereof, message data containing at least one of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and sound and attribute data of the message data is mounted, the message providing apparatus comprising means for reading the identification data and the attribute data from the storing medium and selecting one of the plural message data stored in the storing medium based on the identification data and the attribute data; sound output means for reading a selected message data from the storing medium and reproducing sound read included in the selected message; and display means for reading the selected message data from the storing medium and displaying images, character or graphic included in the selected message, wherein the attribute data includes data indicating message data validity, and the selecting means includes means for disabling reproduction of message data whose validity has expired.
The sixth object is realized by a message providing apparatus comprising means for storing message data containing at least one of a still image, moving image, character, graphic and sound; sound output means for reproducing sound read from the storing means; display means for displaying images, character or graphic read from the storing means; means for storing an identification data for identifying the apparatus; a receiving portion for receiving rewrite data of the message data; and means for judging weather or not the rewrite data is data to be destined to an own apparatus, and if the data is destined to the own apparatus, rewriting the message data stored in the storage means.
The seventh object is realized by the message providing apparatus according to the present invention comprising means for receiving an order from a customer.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention.
The objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.